| Radio Communications Licenses and Certificates Under federal regulations, operators of VHF and MFIHF radios are required to hold an operating certificate; the normal certificate for recreational operators is the Marine Radio Operators Certificate of Proficiency (MROCP). Many Coast Guard and VMR stations provide this course or may advise where a local course is available. Operators of 27 MHz equipment are not required to hold a certificate but are strongly encouraged to obtain one for their own and other users' safety. Station (equipment) licences are no longer required for 27 MHz or VHF radios but are still necessary for MFIHF long-range radio equipment. Equipment Marine radios are essential and in most cases the only method of lifesaving by communicating with other boats, marine rescue groups and to receive navigational warnings and weather updates. There are many factors for you to consider including:  the
area of operations location
of local volunteer marine rescue group the
number of boats in the same area your
budget size
and type of boat There are four main types of marine communications equipment. |
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| 1. VHF - this is the preferred radio for short-range communications.
All large boats and an increasing number of smaller boats monitor
Channel 16. Areas with large boating populations have marine rescue stations monitoring channel 16 and 67 on a 24-hour/7-day basis. Weather information is regularly broadcast on channel 67. Channel 16 is for emergencies or initial calls and should not be used for routine messages or 'chat'. Most areas throughout Queensland have a local 'chat' frequency or a common use rebroadcast frequency. The local marine rescue station can advise on this practice. |
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| 2. 27MHz - this has very limited range and, although better
than no radio, you should check that a limited coast station is in
your immediate vicinity before relying on this equipment for your
safety. Most marine rescue groups monitor channel 88 but larger boats at sea do not listen to this radio. |
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| 3. HF - these radios have a greater communication range
if travelling long distances from shore although they are reliant
on atmospheric conditions and to some extent on hull material. They
can be difficult to operate without training and practice. All states and territories operate 24 hour/7 day monitoring on the frequencies 4125, 6215 and 8291 kHz from 'Coast Radio' stations Cairns, Gladstone, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Hobart, Perth, Port Headland and Darwin. Queensland HF services cover coastal waters to a minimum of 200 nautical miles seaward from sites located at Cairns (call sign: coast radio Cairns) and Gladstone (call sign:coast radio Gladstone). Weather broadcasts are made on frequency 8176 kHz. Navigational warnings are also broadcast on this frequency at the scheduled times. All operators should be competent in the operation of radios, know the frequencies dedicated to distress and safety and be able to properly format and transmit distress and safety messages. |
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| 4. Satellite Equipment - although relatively expensive, the
range of satellite equipment and telephones provides excellent coverage
and are the preferred long-range communications devices. Training and operator certification are necessary before operating this type of equipment. As the long-term future of HF monitoring by coast stations is uncertain, investment in this type of equipment is recommended for boats on offshore voyages. |
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| Mobile Phones Although commonly carried on boats, mobile phones can be considered only as a 'backup' device. They should not be seen as a substitute for emergency radio communications as:
Operating Procedures Standard radio procedures are used internationally. Routine Calls Queensland has a large number of volunteer marine stations which, as limited coast stations, provide an invaluable service to the boating public. Boats are strongly encouraged to log onloff with their local station and update changes to location and intentions. Recent fatalities in Queensland highlight the disadvantages of not using this service. When making a routine call to another boat or limited coast station, state clearly:
The distress call 'mayday' may be used only if the boat is threatened by grave and imminent danger and immediate assistance is required. For example, the boat is sinking or on fire. This distress call has absolute priority over all other transmissions and may only be transmitted on the authority of the skipper or the person responsible for the safety of the boat. Calls are made on distress frequencies (VHF 16, 27.88 MHz or HF 4125, 6215, 8291 kHz). Call procedure:
The urgency call should be used when use of the distress call cannot be justified but a very urgent message concerning the safety of your boat or the safety of a person needs to be transmitted. For example, your boat is disabled and drifting onto a lee shore or a crew member is seriously ill. You may make an urgency call only on the authority of the skipper or person responsible for the safety of your boat. Distress call frequencies (above) may be used for these calls. Call procedure:
The safety call should be used if you wish to broadcast an important navigational warning to other stations. For example, you have sighted a large floating object that could damage the hull of a boat. A safety call is more likely to be made by a coast station or a limited coast station operated by a marine rescue group and may include important weather warnings such as severe thunderstorm, gale and cyclone warnings. Call procedure:
Equipment Check Is
the correct frequencylchannel selected?Is
the volume adjusted correctly? Is
the squelch adjusted correctly? Is
the RF gain set to maximum sensitivity? Power
supply - is the battery fully charged? Antenna
- are the leads and whip intact, not corroded, have proper earthing
and connections in good order? listen before transmitting. |
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Volunteer Rescue Stations (listed
in order from south to north)
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